A conventional electromagnetic actuator for opening and closing a valve of an internal combustion engine generally includes "open" and "close" electromagnets which, when energized, produce an electromagnetic force on an armature. The armature is biased by a pair of identical springs arranged in parallel. The armature is coupled with a gas exchange valve of the engine. The armature rests approximately half-way between the open and close electromagnets when the springs are in equilibrium. When the armature is held by a magnetic force in either the closed or opened position (at rest against the open or close electromagnet), potential energy is stored by the springs. If the magnetic force is shut off with the armature in the opened position, the spring's potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy of the moving mass and cause the armature to move towards the close electromagnet. If friction is sufficiently low, the armature can then be caught in the closed position by applying current to the close electromagnet.
Typically, providing a connection for electrical energy to the actuator is accomplished by using a plastic connector joined directly to a surface of the metal actuator by a high pressure overmolding process. However, this connection is not robust since it is difficult to create a strong joint between the plastic connector and the flat metal surface of the actuator.
Accordingly, a need exists to join a plastic connector to a surface of a metal actuator such that a robust connection is created between the metal actuator and plastic connector.